Lifting device



y 3, 1963 J. CARLESIMO 3,098,673

1.1mm: mzvxcs Filed Nov. 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

JbHN CAELESIMO ATTORNE Y July 23, 1963 J, CARLESIMQ 3,098,673

LIFTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 14, 1960 INVENTOR. JoH/vCARLESIMO ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,098,673- Patented July23, 1963 3,093,673 LlFTlNG DEVICE John Carlesimo, 24885 Glenside,Southfield, Mich. Filed Nov. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 68,776 2 Claims. Cl.294-63) This invention relates to a lifting device and more particularlyto a device for lifting a pluralityof stacks of articles such asconcrete blocks which are herein used to illustrate the invention.

In forming concrete blocks, they are molded to form and stacked in pileson a dolly for drying. After they have dried the dolly and blocks arelifted by lifting forks and placed on a truck for transportation tolocation where they are removed along with the dolly in a singleoperation.

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in return of the dollys tothe manufacturer of the blocks. These dolly-s are costly and themanufacturer is required to make another trip to the location ofdelivery to pick up the dollys when the builder is negligent or refusesto return the dollys. This is expensive and adds to the cost of theblocks.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device whichwill lift the stacks of blocks off of the dolly and place them on atruck for delivery. When delivered the blocks are removed by the liftingdevice and the lifting device is returned with the return trip of thetruck.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which operatessimilar to a pair of tongs which grip the bottom layer of blocks forlifting the entire stack of blocks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which can beoperated manually, preferably by bydraulic means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the lifting device, parts being broken away andin section;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1, parts being broken away and insection;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of FIG. 1;

'FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the hydraulic control systemfor operating the device; the valve being shown in a position forconducting the fluid through the system for moving the clamping beamstoward each other; and

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 but showing the valve in aposition for permitting movement of the clamping beams away from eachother.

Referring to the drawings, the lifting device comprises an upperrectangular frame 11) which may be made from angle or channel memberswelded or bolted together at the four corners. Two pairs of verticallydepending bars 12 are pivotally mounted at their upper ends to each endportion of the frame 10, each pair being located on an extendingprojection beyond the side faces of the frame 18. The lower ends of eachpair of bars 12 are pivotally attached to the opposite ends ofhorizontally extending beams 14 below frame It The bars 12 are inparallel relation and support the beams; one pair of bars at one end ofone beam and another pair at the opposite end of the same beam, one pairat one end of the other beam and another pair at opposite end of saidlast named beam. The beams 14 are supported by a parallelogramarrangement of the bars which permit the beams to independently swing inan arc, below the frame 10, without alteration of the vertical plane ofthe inner surfaces of the beams, which will be later seen contact theouter surfaces of the lower layer of blocks B in the stack.

The lifting device is supported on the top of the stack of blocks byvertically adjustable shoes 16 carried by the upper frame 10, whichsupports the beams 14 above the upper surface of a dolly 18 and forpinching contact with the outer surfaces of the lower layer of thestacked blocks B. The shoes 16 are attached to rods 20 which arevertically slidable in tubes 22 and are provided with vertically spacedapertures 24 through which a pin 2-6, inserted through an aperture 28 inthe tubes 22 with one of the aligned apertures in the rods 20,adjustably positioning the shoes 16 vertically relative to the frame 10.The tubes 22 are attached to a transverse plate 30 carried by thelongitudinal side frame members of the frame 10.

Piston cylinders 32 have their closed end attached to the inner face ofone of the beams 14 adjacent the outer ends thereof, and piston rods 34provided with pistons 36, re ciprocable in the cylinders 32, areattached to the inner surfaces of the other beam 14; the cylinder 32 androd 34 being located between the swingable beams 14 and form aconnection therebe-tween. Shields 38 attached to one of the beams 14form a guard between the cylinders 32 and the stack of blocks B.

A fluid supply tank 40 is supported on a plate 42 secured to the sidemembers of the frame 10. A filler and vent cap 41 is provided for thetank 40. The tank 40 has a fluid conduit 44 in its lower end leading toa pressure pump 46 having a handle 48 and the usual piston 50. A one waycheck valve 52 is provided in the conduit 44 for permitting a flow offluid to the pump 46 and a one way check valve 54 is provided in aconduit 56 leading from the pump 46 to prevent a return fluid flow tothe pump. A double two way valve body 58 controls the flow of fluid toand from the cylinders 32.

Referring to FIG. 4, the valve body 58 is provided with four ports, 62,64, 66 and 68, and the rotatable portion 70 of the valve is providedwith transverse passages 72 and 74. A conduit 76, leading from the port66, is connected to conduits 78 and 80, each leading to one of thepiston cylinders 32 at one end of piston 36. A conduit 82 is connectedbetween the port 68 and the upper portion of the fluid supply tank 40.The conduit 56 is connected to the port 62 and the port 64 is connectedthrough conduit 84 to conduits 86 and 88, each leading to one of thepiston cylinders 32 at the piston rod end of the piston 36. A pressureindicator 90 is in communication with the passage in conduit 84.

When the rotatable portion 70 of the valve body 58 is in the positionshown in FIG. 4, the pump 46 will supply a fluid pressure throughconduit 56, port 62, passage 72, port 64, conduits 86 and 88 to thepiston rod end of the pistons 36, moving the pistons 36 inwardly of thecylinders 32, indicated by the arrows. The fluid at the other side ofthe pistons 36 is returned to the tank 40 through conduits 78 and toconduit 76, port 66, passage 74, port 68 and conduit 82 to the tank 40.This fluid pressure draws the beams 14 toward each other into grippingengagement with the lower layer of blocks B.

When it is desired to separate the beams 14 and remove the liftingdevice from the stack of blocks B, the valve 70 is turned in a-clockwisedirection to a position indicated in FIG. 5. This permits a reversal ofdirection of fluid flow and the pressure at the piston rod end of thepistons 36- is relieved, flowing through conduits 86 and 88 to conduit84, port 64, passage 74, port 66, conduit 76, conduits 78 and 8%) to thepiston end of the cylinders 32, as indicated by the arrows. The passage72 forms a fluid passage between the conduits 56 and 82, so that if thepump should be operated the fluid will flow from pump 46 through conduit56, passage 72 and conduit 82 back to the tank 40.

The particular blocks herein illustrated are blocks for buildingmanholes and their particular shape make them ideal for illustrating theinvention, because they can be nested or interlocked and remain stackedfor lifting. With a reference to FIG. 2, it will be noted that theconvex surface of one block fits the concave surface of an adjacentblock and that the blocks of one row are reversely arranged so that theouter surfaces of the sides of the stack present a scallop edge. Thebeams 14 have their inner gripping surfaces shaped to fit the samescallop surface as presented by the blocks. This prevents lateralslipping of the rows of blocks when they are lifted.

In its operation, the device is lifted over the previously stackedblocks andthen lowered until the shoes 16 rest on the top surface of thestack of blocks. By adjustably positioning the shoes 16 vertically thebeams 14 can be positioned for contact engagement with the outersurfaces of the bottom row of blocks. The valve 70 is then returned to aposition shown in FIG. 4 and the pump 46 operated to supply a fluidpressure through conduits 86 and 88 to the cylinders 32 at the pistonrod end of the pistons 36. This fluid pressure causes the beams 14 to beforced inwardly into tight gripping engagement with the outer surfacesof the bottom rows of blocks. The device is then lifted with the entirestack of blocks from the dolly to a truck or other transportingmechanism. The device remains on the stack of blocks duringtransportation, after which the blocks are removed by the device. Thevalve 70 is then turned to the position .shown in FIG. where thepressure is released. The beams may then be separated and the devicelifted over the blocks and placed on the transporting device for returnto the maker of the blocks for repeated use.

It will be understood that various changes in the size, shape andarrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit :ofthe invention and it is my intention to cover by the appended claimssuch changes'as may be reasonably included within a fair interpretationof the meaning of the terms therein.

I claim:

1'. A device for lifting a stack' of blocks comprising, a frame,downwardly extending bars pivotally supported at their upper ends to theopposite ends of said frame, a pair of spaced longitudinally extendingbeams, each end of each of said beams being supported by the lower endsof several of said bars which are arranged in parallogram formation forswinging movement of said beams toward and away from each other, acylinder secured to each of the opposite ends of one of said beams, apiston rod secured to each of the opposite ends of .the other of saidbeams, a piston carried by said rods for reciprocation within saidcylinder, and fluid pressure means for moving said pistons.

2. A device for lifting a stack of blocks having arcuate inner and outerfaces comprising, a frame, depending beams pivotally supported on saidframe for movement toward and away from each other, the beams extendinglongitudinally along the sides of said frame but vertically spaced therebelow and having their inner gripping faces in a vertical plane formedto an irregular surface to fit the arcuate faces of the blocks, acylinder secured to each of the opposite ends of one of said beams, apiston rod secured to each of the opposite ends of the other of saidbeams, a piston carried by said rods for reciprocation within saidcylinders, a fluid pump for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders,conduit means interconnecting said pump and cylinders, valve meansmounted in said conduit means for controlling a fluid pressure flow fromsaid pump to either of the opposite sides of said pistons within saidcylinders for moving said beams toward and away from each other, and apair of depending bars pivotally attached to said beams and totheadjacent portion of said frame for supporting the opposite ends of saidbeams arranged in parallelogram formation for maintaining the grippingsurfaces of said beams in a vertical position during their movementtoward and away from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS974,292 Penfield Nov. 1', 1910 1,749,249 Van Item Mar. 4, 1930 2,040,574Sutcliife May 12, 1936 2,088,519 Hershey July 27, 1937 2,491,805Fontaine Dec. 20, 1949 2,622,915 Horn Dec. 23, 1952

1. A DEVICE FOR LIFTING A STACK OF BLOCKS COMPRISING, A FRAME, DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING BARS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FRAME, A PAIR OF SPACED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BEAMS, EACH END OF EACH OF SAID BEAMS BEING SUPPORTED BY THE LOWER ENDS OF SEVERAL OF SAID BARS WHICH ARE ARRANGED IN PARALLOGRAM FORMATION FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID BEAMS TOWARD AND 